President Bush is going to court in a bid to halt the West Coast port shutdown.

However, the dockworkers´ union says it´s ready to agree to a 30-day contract extension. The union says that should make the president´s call for an 80-day cooling-off period under the Taft-Hartley act unnecessary.

It´s not yet clear, though, that shipping lines will accept.

Bush, speaking to reporters outside the Oval Office, says the stoppage is harming America´s economy and endangering national security.

He says he´s told Attorney General John Ashcroft to seek an injunction halting the lockout at 29 West Coast ports – now in its second week.

Bush says the nation “simply cannot afford” to have billions of dollars´ worth of goods and produce stacking up in warehouses.